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Salary comparison

Correctional Officers and Jailers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn Correctional Officers and Jailers by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Correctional Officers and Jailers land at $58,940 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: correctional officers and jailer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Correctional Officers and Jailers is California ($96,370); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

Correctional Officers and Jailers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$58,940
$76,210
Hourly rate
$28.34/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$42,760
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$93,220
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
380,500
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
-7.8%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Correctional Officers and Jailers median pay.

State
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
California
$96,370
$118,880
New Jersey
$94,770
$92,610
Massachusetts
$86,310
$78,940
Oregon
$83,690
$88,140
Washington
$79,460
$102,080
Illinois
$79,190
$100,520
New York
$76,820
$92,790
Alaska
$71,360
$99,130
Hawaii
$69,570
$83,820
Minnesota
$66,040
$83,360
Delaware
$65,880
$92,970
Connecticut
$64,750
$82,170
Pennsylvania
$63,460
$85,470
Colorado
$62,140
$97,350
Arizona
$54,970
$78,880

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $58,940 for Correctional Officers and Jailers versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $17K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.1% projected growth, compared to -7.8% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Correctional Officers and Jailers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Correctional Officers and Jailers get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Correctional Officers and Jailers at $96,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Correctional Officers and Jailers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Correctional Officers and Jailers earn $96,370 vs. $118,880 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Correctional Officers and Jailers salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Correctional Officers and Jailers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a correctional officers and jailersGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →